Spulerina multispina, Sruoga & Prins, 2023

Sruoga, Virginijus & Prins, Jurate De, 2023, New species, new country distribution records, and a new generic combination of Afrotropical Acrocercopinae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Zootaxa 5285 (1), pp. 75-115 : 106-107

Spulerina multispina , sp. n.

( Figs 22A–H )

Material examined. Holotype: ♁, Congo Dem. Rep., Bas-Congo, 320 m, Nat. Res. Luki-Mayumbe, 05°27’S 13°05’E, 05.iv.2006, leg. J. De Prins. Gen. prep. VS514, in coll. RBINS . Paratypes: 3♁, Congo Dem. Rep., Bas-Congo, 320 m, Nat. Res. Luki-Mayumbe, 05°27’S 13°05’E, 22.iii.2006, leg. J. & W. De Prins; 2♁, same locality, 29.iii.2006, leg. J. De Prins. Gen. prep. VS556; 2♁, same locality, 12.iv.2006, leg. J. De Prins; 1♁, Congo Dem. Rep., Bas-Congo, 320 m, Nat. Res. Luki-Mayumbe, 05°37’S 13°05’E, 30.v.2007, leg. J. De Prins, in coll. RBINS .

Diagnosis. In wing pattern and male genitalia, this species closely resembles Spulerina polula sp. nov. and S. cuneata sp. nov., known from the same locality. The new species is hardly distinguishable by external characters, however, it can be well diagnosed in male genitalia. The main differences are the following: (1) valva in S. multispina parallel-sided on basal 1/2, in S. polula sp. nov. on basal 3/5, and in S. cuneata sp. nov. on basal 2/3; (2) aedeagus in S. multispina sp. nov. is shorter than valva, while it is as long as valva in S. cuneata sp. nov. and S. polula sp. nov.; (3) sclerotized rods of aedeagus in S. multispina sp. nov. extend until basal 5/6, in S. polula sp. nov. and S. cuneata sp. nov. until basal 1/2; (4) vesica in S. multispina sp. nov. with small strong spines aggregated in a large mass, while vesica in S. cuneata sp. nov. with numerous tiny cornuti scattered in apical part of the aedeagus, and in S. polula sp. nov. it is with one long rod like cornutus and two rows of the smaller ones; (5) in S. multispina sp. nov. the length/width ratio of longest tooth of fan-shaped comb is 4, in S. polula sp. nov. it is 2, and in S. cuneata sp. nov. it is 6; (6) tegumen in S. multispina sp. nov. with one pair of subapical setae, in S. polula sp. nov. with 3 pairs, and in S. cuneata sp. nov. with 2 pairs of subapical setae.

Description. Male ( Figs 22A, B ). Forewing length: 2.3–2.9 mm.

Head: Frons and vertex white with few pale yellow-brown scales; occipital tufts brownish grey. Labial palpus ca. 1.5 times as long as width of head, drooping, white, second palpomere grey-brown in apical part, terminal palpomere with some grey-brown scales basally and pale ochreous tip. Maxillary palpus 0.3 as long as width of head, brownish grey. Antenna longer than forewing, scape greyish white, with dark brown flap of scales below, pedicel dark brown; flagellum brown-grey with basal part white.

Thorax: White, with grey-brown anterior and posterior margins; tegulae white, with grey-brown anterior margin. Forewing yellowish brown with four white transverse fasciae outlined by dark brown edges; first fascia near base of forewing, incomplete, not reaching dorsal margin; subapical white spot at 4/5 of costa with brown black streak or dot inside it; greyish white apical spot very small, inconspicuous; apical fringe dark brown, subapical dorsal fringe yellow-grey. Hindwing brown grey, its fringe scales somewhat paler. Fore coxa white, with brown-black apical patch; fore femur brown-black with small medial white patch; fore tibia brown-black, with white basal patch; tarsomeres I–III white with brown-black apical patches, tarsomeres IV–V dirty white; mid coxa white, with brown-black apical patch; mid femur white, with subapical tuft of brown-black scales, mid tibia brown-black in basal and apical parts and white medially, tarsomeres I–III white with brown-black apical patches, tarsomeres IV–V dirty white; hind coxa white with small brown-black apical patch, hind femur white with small brown-black basal and apical patches, hind tibia white, with brown-black basal and apical patches, tarsomeres I–IV white with brown-black medial patches, tarsomere V white.

Abdomen: Grey brown dorsally and white ventrally,sterna III–V with dark brown anterior margins.Dorsocephalic apodeme of male tergum VIII widened basally, truncated apically, about 0.6 as long as segment VII ( Fig. 22H ).

Female. Unknown.

Male genitalia ( Figs 22C–G ). Tegumen narrow and elongate, ca. 0.6 as long as valva, with one pair of subapical and one pair of apical setae. Valva narrow and long, nearly straight and parallel-sided on basal 1/2, then strongly narrowed and upcurved apically, thus costal margin shallowly concave at its apical 1/3; fan-shaped comb at apical 1/3 of valva, with 9–14 (11–12 in most specimens) apically blunt teeth on strongly sclerotized C-shaped base; long slender androconial scales scattered on outer surface of valva near base and shorter and wider ones slightly caudad. Vinculum with short, apically rounded saccus. Aedeagus straight, tubular, about 0.8 as long as valva, with two lateral sclerotized ridges on basal 5/6; vesica with numerous short spine-like cornuti in rows on sclerotized base about 1/3 the length of the entire aedeagus.

Host plant(s). Unknown.

Flight period. Adults on the wing were recorded in March–May.

Distribution. Known only from type locality in the west of DRC.

Etymology. The specific name is from the Latin prefix ‘ multi- ’ (multiple), and ‘ spina ’ (spine), in reference to the male genitalia with multiple spine-like cornuti.

Figures

FIGURE 22. Spulerina multispina sp. nov., male. A, adult, scale bar 1 mm; B, head, frontal view; C, genitalia, general view (aedeagus removed); D, aedeagus; E, cornuti; F, valval comb; G, cornuti; H, caudal part of abdominal pelt. A–B, F–G, paratype, gen. prep. VS556; C–E, H, holotype, gen. prep. VS514. Scale bar 0.1 mm.